SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

Toyota signs up another youngster

THE Toyota Formula 1 team has been out recruiting again and the word on the street is that it has signed a long-term deal with Sweden's Richard Goransson, who is currently third in the British Formula Ford series. The 23-year-old from Orebro (Ronnie Peterson's home town) has been racing this year for the Van Diemen factory team but is currently third in the series behind his team mate Patrick Long and Robert Dahlgren.

Goransson has been competing since he was nine years old and switched to Formula Ford as long ago as 1996 when he won the Swedish national FF1600 title.

Toyota has done well so far with its young signings as Australian Ryan Briscoe is on the verge of winning the Italian Formula Renault Championship. Both he and Goransson are expected to move to Formula 3 next year.